UK Set to Become First Country to Ban AI Tools for Child Abuse

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The United Kingdom is set to become the first country in the world to introduce laws criminalising the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate sexual abuse images of children, a landmark decision announced by the government on Saturday.

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The proposed legislation aims to make it illegal to create, possess, or distribute AI tools designed to generate sexualised images of children.

Those found guilty could face up to five years in prison. Additionally, the law will target the possession of AI-generated “paedophile manuals,” which teach individuals how to exploit AI for child sexual abuse, carrying a penalty of up to three years in prison.

Interior Minister Yvette Cooper described the rise in AI-facilitated child sexual abuse as a “real disturbing phenomenon” during an interview with Sky News on Sunday.

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Cooper emphasised the growing threat AI poses in amplifying online child abuse material, which has been used for grooming, blackmail, and manipulating children’s images. “It’s just the most vile of crimes,” she said.

The legislation will also target AI models used specifically for child abuse and will criminalise predators running websites that facilitate the sharing of abusive content or offer advice on grooming children. Offenders operating such platforms could face up to ten years in prison.

UK Set to Become First Country to Ban AI Tools for Child Abuse

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The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which tracks online child exploitation, has raised alarms about the increasing use of AI in creating abuse images.

In a 30-day period in 2024, IWF analysts discovered 3,512 AI-generated child abuse images on a single dark web platform, with the number of serious images increasing by 10% in just one year.

Cooper referred to findings from a recent inquiry that indicated approximately 500,000 children across the UK experience some form of abuse annually, with an increasing number of cases occurring online.

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The new laws will be included in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill, which will soon be presented in Parliament.

“This is an international issue, but the UK is leading the way,” said Cooper, urging other countries to adopt similar measures to protect children from the growing AI-driven threat.

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